Hangul is an original text with a very simple structure and easy to master how to use it. Unlike other countries’ writing, it is created to imitate the shape of vocal organs and is known as the most scientific writing in the world. King Sejong the Great promulgated Hangeul in 1446, and its original official name was “Hunminjeongeum”.

In the same year, various scholars followed the king’s order and compiled a commentary on Hunminjeongeum, which is also called “Hunminjeongeum”. In order to distinguish between the two, the explanatory book is called “Hunminjeongeum Explanation Edition”. “Hunminjeongeum Explanation Book” explains in detail the purpose and principles of the creation of Hangeul, etc. It is currently collected at the Gansong Museum of Art in Seoul and was listed as a World Memory Heritage by UNESCO in 1997.

After the Korean language, which was easy to learn and write, was promulgated, lower-class people and women began to learn and use the written language. In the early days of Hangeul’s promulgation, Hangeul consisted of 28 letters, but now only 24 letters are used. In addition, UNESCO established the “King Sejong Literacy Award” in 1989 to commend individuals or groups that have contributed to world literacy, and it is awarded annually.

Korean Tripitaka Tablets and Sutra Tablets

The Goryeo Tripitaka Board is a sutra board made by carving Buddhist scriptures on wood over a period of 15 years starting from 1236 in the Goryeo Dynasty (918~1392). Since the number of sutra tablets reaches 81,258, it is also known as the “Eighty Thousand Tripitaka”. Each sutra tablet is engraved on both sides. Currently, the Goryeo Tripitaka tablets are collected in Haeinsa Temple, Shaancheon County, Gyeongsangnam-do. Haeinsa Temple is a Buddhist temple built in 802.

The Goryeo Tripitaka tablets were carved during the Goryeo Dynasty when the Mongol invasion and national crisis were imminent, in order to use the power of Buddha to overcome the national crisis. Compared with the Tripitaka tablets of China’s Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, the Goryeo Tripitaka tablets have richer Buddhist content and are better preserved. They are of extremely high value as a world cultural heritage. The production of the Goryeo Tripitaka tablets also made a huge contribution to the development of Korean printing and publishing technology.

Records of the May 18th Democratic Movement

The “May 18 Democratic Movement” was a democratization movement centered in Gwangju, South Korea, from May 18 to 27, 1980. It had a huge impact on promoting the democratization process in East Asia after the 1980s. The May 18th Democratic Movement Records is a general term for documents, pictures, videos and other materials related to a series of citizens’ democratization movements at that time and subsequent compensation for victims. The recorded items included in the memory heritage are collected in the May 18th Memorial Foundation, the National Records Institute, the Army Headquarters, the Library of Congress, and the United States.